Honda, Toyota to launch fuel-cell cars in 2015

Honda and Toyota plan to launch fuel-cell vehicles in 2015, with each company estimating a production of 1,000 cars a year, reports Japan’s Nikkei newspaper.

Both Toyota and Honda currently offer fuel-cell cars on lease, with users being mainly from municipalities and businesses.

The report says initial prices will be set below 10 million yen ($97,700). Honda is developing a sedan planned for launch in November 2015 which will have a driving range of about 500 kilometers on a single charge, twice the range of an electric vehicle. Honda aims to produce 5,000 units over five years, with the main markets being Japan, the United States and Europe.

Toyota also wants to release a sedan in Japan, the U.S. and Europe in 2015, the Nikkei said, with the carmaker aiming to produce tens of thousands of units a year by 2020. Toyota hopes the fuel-cell car will cost between 3-5 million yen ($29,300-$48,900) in the 2020s, according to an unnamed development staffer.

Carlos Ghosn, the CEO of rival Nissan Motor Company, said in November automakers would face obstacles in their plans to launch fuel-cell car sales over the next few years. Nissan and its alliance partner Renault have focused more on electric vehicles in recent years.

– attached images showing the FCV Concept, during the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show